New Year's Break
by E.G. Sparks
Summary: My first Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction, focusing on the Hitachiin brothers. This was written for an emag with the theme of back to school, so it does have a bit of that air to it, but I've tried to keep it true to the show. Reviews appreciated


**Disclaimer: This is a semi-one-shot ficlet with the possibility of becoming more if it has enough positive feedback. It was originally written for a e-magazine I'm afraid won't survive, as I was never even informed how to submit things, what the deadlines were, etc. But I hope the people 'round here can enjoy it. Remember: read and review!**

"Think we should run?"  
Kaoru shrugged and leaned against the nearest windowsill, checking his watch again. "Eh. Class is still a whole 4 minutes away."  
Hikaru laughed once. "I can see Haruhi's face now. She'll never believe we beat her to class."  
"Why else would we bet on it?"  
"Yeah, but-"  
Both brothers stopped as a door slammed a ways down the hall to their left, and two girls raced out the passageway, fussing loudly with each other as their feet pounded down the hallway.  
"Come on, Yoshiko!" The taller of the girls glanced back over her shoulder as she ran.  
"I'm coming as fast as I can, Akane!" The shorter one sped up. "Maybe if you had turned on the alarm clock last night…."  
"Oh, don't you blame this on me! You're the one who made those horrible commoner noodles for supper. I was too sick to do anything but sleep!"  
Yoshiko scowled slightly. "You love those commoner noodles!"  
"Do not!"  
Kaoru and Hikaru looked at one another as the girls raced by, then back to the retreating figures, and to each other again. "Do you…" Hikaru began.  
"Think we should follow?" Kaoru smiled with his brother. "Absolutely. They're heading the same direction we are, anyway, and you know what our lord says!"  
Both held out a hand, index finger pointed to the ceiling in a well-informed pose all too similar to Tamaki's. "We exist," they smiled again, "to bring fortune to girls!"

Following after the girls proved harder than either had imagined possible, what with the way both were arguing at the tops of their voices, but after several minutes of searching, neither brother had seen or even heard a sign of them. Hikaru glanced at his watch when they stopped 'round the main staircase for the third time and cursed aloud. "Kaoru, we'll have to find them some other time. Haruhi will beat us if we don't get to class soon."  
Kaoru repeated the sentiment as he looked at his own watch and then took off with his brother, all the thrill of the chase thoroughly doused with the reality of defeat.  
Both brothers froze, however, as they turned 'round the next corner and into the hallway outside of the second-year classrooms. There, in front of Modern Literature, were the two girls they'd been chasing, now whispering angrily at one another and pointing at different places on a sheet of paper held between them.  
Kaoru, ever the more mature, came out of the daze first. "Eh, excuse me," he said. "You must be new."  
The taller girl looked up from the paper. "Gee, how did you figure it out?"  
"Akane!" Yoshiko gasped and then bowed her head to the boys. "Forgive us. My sister was sick last night, and this is our first week here. We're still lost."  
_Sisters…. _Kaoru and Hikaru threw the quickest glance to each other.  
"It's easy to do." Hikaru smiled charmingly. "Are you looking for Modern Literature?"  
"Uhm," Yoshiko peeked at the sheet again. "We think so, yes."  
"Let me see your schedule."  
Hikaru scanned the sheet quickly. The sisters were, indeed, looking for the very class they stood outside of, and it appeared they were going to be in many of the same classes together. He smiled and handed the sheet back. "You're here."  
"Wonderful! Thank you so much."  
"Our pleasure. My brother and I explored most of the school in our freshman year."  
"In fact," Kaoru stepped in beside Hikaru. "If you'd like, we would be honored to escort you around the school during this, your first week… help you and your sister get to know the grounds."  
"Oh! That would be wonderful! Wouldn't it, sister?"  
Akane scoffed and crossed her arms. "Honestly, sister? No. We're second-years. We got into this school on merit and achievements alone, and we're perfectly able to get around by ourselves."  
Yoshiko flushed and bowed her head again.  
"Yoshiko, isn't it?" Kaoru touched her hand, white-knuckled, clutching her bag. She looked up to him and nodded timidly.  
"We're the Hitachiin brothers. I'm Kaoru and this," he thumbed towards his brother, "is Hikaru. If you ever get lost again, come find us. We would be glad-"  
"Wait, you're who?" The red in Akane's face was beginning to deepen.  
"The Hitachiin brothers, Kaoru and Hikaru, respective-"  
Akane took a step back. "So you're those brothers."  
"Ah, so you've heard of us?" Hikaru smirked.  
"Only in the cautionary sense, I'm afraid." Akane sneered back. "That is, the Hitachiin brothers have done this, don't do that. The Hitachiin brothers are trouble, avoid them at all costs. We've been told not to associate with you."  
"Your loss, Miss…"  
"As if I'd tell-"  
"Ginta." Yoshiko blushed as she looked away from Kaoru, who was still holding her hand. "Yoshiko and Akane Ginta."

Away in their dorm rooms, the brothers awoke suddenly, flinging their covers off in unison, which only served to have each other's comforters end up over the other's head. A quick disentanglement later, and Kaoru looked over to Hikaru, who was slowly doing just the same. "Sisters." He said.  
"Sisters." Kaoru repeated.  
"Wasn't there a pair of Gintas in the list of new students?"  
They smiled as one, pulled the comforters back over each other's head, and quickly fell back to sleep to dream new classes and faces and adventures of both the successful and mis- variety. A new school year was breaking with the sun, and with that… who knew what else could follow?


End file.
